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One's personality is both a composition and reflection, but if I have to choose one of them, I will choose reflection as the "self" is more important to me than "me". One's composition may change, walking across the cultural landscapes and climbing the social ladder but one's self is tied to one's reflections. The fun part is that reflections are not bound to "Time-Space" barriers ( it is not time-space) and respective mental constructs, which have grown so thick over ages, that they had reduced the image of humans to Sisyphus, rolling different sizes of boulders on hills of different heights.… As the name of this Blog indicates, knols are my perspectives on topics of interests, sweet/bitter experiences or just doodling :)

Monday, November 28, 2011

Change

Change the world at no cost

The strongest force of attraction is believed to be in blackholes but to men's spirit, the blackhole is the perception of "Change". Despite of its attraction, change is looks very big. Or perhaps we are thinking of them as big. May be we have become habitual of thinking change as changing the world or changing a system. We do not have to blame ourselves for it because in an age of global connectivity, it is normal to think globally. Actually it is more desirable and sometimes necessary to think globally. However in race for thinking global we forget or avoid things that affect our daily lives. It looks like an old sermon to start with that, we all observe changes in nature by changing of days and nights, changes of seasons but truly we dont think of them as change. We look at them as a routin process that were existed and will exist. The real change, we think is changes that human brings and that is visible and inescapable in effect.

Though it is the collective changes that affect globally but our individual acts count. We all are part of the global community. As of 2009, the world population was estimated to be 6 billion (6,000,000,000) people and it is expected that in 2012 this population grow to be 7 billion. An addition of 1 billion people just in 3 to 4 years is unbelievable. It is a not a simple addition of 1 billion people to population but increase in exploitation of natural resources, land use and more pressure on social services that is not already enough and also intensifying the conflicts among rival groups who are struggling for use of resources.

I know that an individual cannot stop increasing population. Even the governments have difficulty in controlling population because a lot of issues related to population control is controversial. Family planning, abortion and types of marriages (e.g, polygamy) is highly sensitive issues among across cultures and religions. However, there are ways that we can make things better and letting opportunities reach to more people. It doesn't take anything from us but instead enrich our lives and also shows our generosity to coming generations.
How we can contribute. It is just small adjustments to our behaviors or behavioral changes that can change the world. Let's go back to world population. We have to see it in two ways, One way to look at it is, 1 out of 6,000,000,000 is too small that is almost equal Nil. The second way is, if 6000, 6000,000 or 6000,000,000 decides to do very small things, they can have great impacts.

Let's make some simple calculations.

1. It is estimated that as of 2007 there was 6,000,000 cars. If half of the people that have cars decide to not use their cars just for one day and assuming that on average each car is using one liters of gasoline. The world will save 3000,000 liters of fossil fuel.

2. If all people eat just one gram lesser than their routin, there will be no harm to their health (it will improve the health of large part of world population), it will save 6000,000 Kg of food. 6000,000 Kg is a large saving both for human and for environment.

If you think in this line and include other small things like usaga of water, plastic bags, mailing instead of e mailing, advertising on internet or advertising by mails, taking notes on your computers instead of notebooks, turning off extra lights, using ceramics instead of disposable products for foods and drinks and so on. These all examples are all behavioral and doesnot cost you anything but save you and world.

How is it possible?

Previously such kinds of ideas were looking silly but since social networks grew into giants, it looks promisingly possible. People has started saying that social networks like, facebook will be the largest country in the world in terms of population and the wikipedia is the largest university in terms of accessibility, usage and information resources.

According to Wikipedia, the facebook has currently 400 million active users worldwide. Though it is the much less than only population of a single country like China (more than 1.3 billion people) and it is only 6.6% of world population but the rate of growth of users of facebook is high than population growth of china or the world. Though it will never catch the world population as children and a large part of adults can't use it and also a large number of people choose not to use it either because of privacy or other issues.

Persuasion and convincing people to have a healthy, green and more tolerance, though for a short of amount of time will collectively have great impacts.

To me, in a time when internet is providing chance to reach to people across the world and acts and thoughts of people in any part of world, affecting the people across the globe, the responsibility of the intellectuals, teachers, people advocates, and students who have means and understanding of issues have increased manyfold.

Social networks could become positive

Recently, you may hear voices against socail networking addiction. You hear people are saying they spend a large parts of their time on social networks for nothing and it is costing their studies, careers, relationships and health. If you have a facebook account and you are spending a lot of your time in it, so why not use it to make the world a better place by persuading your friends for green, healthy behaviors and try to increse tolerance and acceptance for other races, nationalities, religions and hence help reducing conflicts. Satrt rallying for change.

Why Change?

During presidential election, 2008, president, Barack Obama, used the word "Change" and the phrase, "Yes we can" as a his election menifesto. It is not only embraced by majority of US citizen but also people across the globe. It shows how the people across the world is looking for change. Though now it is almost two years passed from this presidential compaign but recently the UK politicians are adopting the same menifesto.
Change in America

Change in Britain

Though politicians making big promises to people but we all know very well their limitations. The real change come from behavioral change in individuals. The collective impacts of the behavioral changes of individuals is much larger than any intiative of a government, organization or others. Looking to readiness of people for change it is time for intellectuals to come ahead and lead and the responsibility of all to persuade each other for small acts that cost nothing but bring great changes.

Where to begin

Some may wonder, where to begin? I think the Universal human rights declaration that all nations in the world endorse is a good point to begin. Though majority of people have heard about the human rights but it is surprising when one finds that even majority of educated people have not read it fully. I have copied and pasted universal human rights declaration in this page. It is my contribution in spreading this message. You can do the same.

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

"Source: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

Article 1.

· All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2.

· Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3.

· Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4.

· No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5.

· No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6.

· Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7.

· All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8.

· Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9.

· No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10.

· Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11.

· (1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.

· (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

Article 12.

· No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 13.

· (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

· (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14.

· (1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

· (2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15.

· (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.

· (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.

Article 16.

· (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

· (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

· (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 17.

· (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

· (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Article 18.

· Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19.

· Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20.

· (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

· (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21.

· (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.

· (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

· (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Article 22.

· Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 23.

· (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

· (2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

· (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.

· (4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Article 24.

· Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25.

· (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

· (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Article 26.

· (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

· (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

· (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Article 27.

· (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

· (2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Article 28.

· Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Article 29.

· (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.

· (2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

· (3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 30.

· Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.